Dutch
Police receives
Islanders
by Emma Stynes
in Amsterdam
The Dutch National Police has
taken delivery of two new
Pilatus Britten Norman
Turbine Islanders in a deal
worth more than $2 million.
The two new aircraft will be
used by the police department's
flying branch in assisting other
Dutch police organisations,
including the maritime branch
and the Rotterdam River
Police. Environmental pollu
tion control, fishery control and
police surveillance of football
riots are specific areas where the
police see the Islanders provid
ing a service.
The Dutch National Police
says it chose the Turbine
Islander for its short take-off
and landing capability on
unprepared runways, slow
handling speeds, good single-
engined performance, good
downward visibility and its abil
ity to operate in almost any
weather conditions.
As the Islanders will be used
in co-operation with other
policing bodies and some
government departments, the
Dutch police believes that the
aircraft's eight-seats are an
asset.
It is expected that the Island
ers will be used for 24hr opera
tions. The police department
will be conducting its own
maintenance.
The police flying department
fleet also includes three single-
engined aircraft (Cessna 182)
and five helicopters (BO. 105).
Turbine Islanders have been delivered to the Dutch Police (Ptbove) and British Army fbeiov/J
UK GA fights airspace change
The UK Aircraft Owners and
Pilots Association (AOPA) is to
petition the European Parlia
ment in an attempt to block
proposed airspace changes to
the east of the London Termi
nal Control Area.
AOPA, representing the
interests of general aviation, is
strongly opposed to the alter
ations, which the UK Civil
Aviation Authority (CAA) says
are needed primarily to allow
positive radar control for a
greater number of movements
from London City and Biggin
Hill airports.
It has submitted a lengthy list
of objections as part of the
formal consultation process, but
accuses the CAA and
Department of Transport of
having effectively decided to go
ahead regardless.
AOPA chairman Ron
Campbell says that the
alterations—primarily a lower
ing of the controlled airspace
base—will make the remaining
uncontrolled sectors danger
ously overcrowded. He warns
that pilots of single-engine air
craft will be tempted to overfly
up to 30 miles of the Thames
estuary to avoid the congestion.
Additionally, instructors will
face a round trip of up tb' 70
miles to reach airspace deep
enough for stall training, and
will, in any case, be frequently
forced down into the haze layer
or close to the cloud base.
NEWS IN BRIEF
D Malibu sets record
A Piper Malibu last month
set two world speed records
in its piston-single weight
category, averaging 439-13
m.p.h. on a flight from
Chicago to Toronto and
395-73 m.p.h. on a flight
from Detroit to Washington
D.C. Both flights were aided
by substantial tailwinds.
D Singapore Warriors
The Singapore Youth Flying
Club has ordered 12 Piper
Warrior trainers to replace
its 20-year-old fleet of
Cessnas, which form part of
an Armed Forces-backed
flying programme. The
aircraft will be delivered this
month.
• Firefighter crashes
A Canadair CL215 fire
fighter crashed in a moun
tainous region of north-west
Italy on January 27, killing
both crew. The aircraft
struck rocks during a steep
approach to a water drop,
Canadair says.
FLIGHT INTERNATIONAL, 18 February 1989 15